McDonald's grimaces at Happy Meal lawsuit

Reuters

A lawsuit that seeks to stop McDonald’s from selling Happy Meals must be dismissed because parents can always prohibit their children from eating them, the hamburger giant said in a court filing on Monday.

The Happy Meal has been a huge hit for McDonald’s—making the company one of the world’s largest toy distributors—and spawning me-too offerings at most other fast-food chains.

But lately it also has come under fire from public health officials, parents and lawmakers who are frustrated with rising childhood obesity rates and weak anti-obesity efforts from restaurant operators, which are largely self-regulated.

Parham, who filed suit last December, is represented by the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a nutrition advocacy group.

In the lawsuit, Parham admits she frequently tells her children “no” when they ask for Happy Meals, McDonald’s said in a court filing late on Monday.

“She was not misled by any advertising, nor did she rely on any information from McDonald’s,” the company said.

Should Parham’s lawsuit be allowed, it would spawn a host of other problematic legal proceedings, McDonald’s said.